This two-year degree program is designed to give the training needed for the installation, maintenance, operation, and servicing of advanced electronic systems in industry.

Nature of Work
Graduates of this program will be knowledgeable in the operation, and repair of programmable logic controllers, or PLC's. Graduates are expected to access PLC programs, locate faults/malfunctions, and repair equipment or reprogram as required. Electronic repairers install, test, repair, and calibrate equipment to ensure it functions properly. They examine work orders, talk to equipment operators, and check for common causes of trouble. They may use voltmeters, ohmmeters, signal generators, ammeters, and oscilloscopes, and run diagnostic programs to determine malfunctions.

Jobs
Commercial and industrial electronic equipment repairers, electronic technician, manufacturer sales worker, and maintenance supervisors.

Employers
Federal government, manufacturing and industry, and communications.

Outlook
Overall, employment of commercial and industrial equipment repairers will increase faster than the average as the amount of equipment grows. IOICC lists electronic technicians as one of the top occupations by annual openings through the year 2006. Because of cuts in the defense budget, employment in Federal Government will decline, as will employment of other electronic equipment repairers.

Earnings
Median weekly earnings of full-time electronic technology workers in communications and industrial equipment were $602. Beginning maintenance electronics technicians had median earnings of $11.50 an hour in 1995, with the middle half earning between $10.50 and $13.35 an hour. In Illinois, IOICC and BLS reports the annual middle wage range between $20,180-$32,000.

Tech Prep
Electronic Technology is currently designed for Tech Prep. Students in High School should contact their High School Counselor.

Earnings vary greatly according to location, experience, and individual.